The Aksumite Economy: Coins, Trade and the Birth of a Superpower

Long before Lalibela's churches, before the Solomonic restoration, a kingdom in the Horn of Africa minted its own gold coins, traded with Byzantium and India, and built an economy that sustained an empire for centuries. This episode dives into the Aksumite economy — how the port of Adulis funneled ivory, frankincense, and slaves to the Roman world; how King Endubis introduced the first indigenous coinage in sub-Saharan Africa; and how the Aksumite navy protected trade routes against rival powers. We explore the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea as a window into ancient commerce, the mysterious gold source of the interior, and the economic pressures that contributed to Aksum's decline. Lucas and Luna discuss the weight of a gold coin's image, the role of the Arabian peninsula connection, and what happens when a trade network collapses. #Aksum #AksumiteEconomy #Endubis #Adulis #PeriplusOfTheErythraeanSea #ByzantineTrade #IndianOceanTrade #IvoryTrade #Frankincense #AksumiteCoinage #GoldTrade #RedSea #HornOfAfrica #AncientEconomy #Ezana #Ge'ez #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo